What Can I Do

Chapter 25 ~This feels oddly familiar, I don't mind though

Haru stared at the papers she was supposed to be filing away. The names and words in front of her swirled and became unfocused, her thoughts far away on the boys in the other room.

Her mind was constantly replaying everything that had happened in the past few days. Most prominently centered around Brian, but recently her thoughts also strayed towards Sungjin. She couldn't help but feel guilty whenever she thought of the other boy, his hurt face flashing in her mind every time she thought back to his confession. 

When he had confessed, the only thing on her mind was Brian. Sungjin was a good friend, and was so kind, but she couldn't find it in herself to harbor any more feelings for him than friendship. It constantly made her feel guilty, but her own heart hurt from Brian's rejection, so much so that she could barely focus on anything else.

Brian's face had been twisted in ridicule as he rejected her, but she could also see an under layer of vulnerability, almost as if he was convincing himself that no one could care about him. It made her angry but also sad.

She wanted to be there for him; hold his hand when he got nervous, remind him that she cared for him. Wanted to be the one that broke down his walls and be on the receiving end of his blinding smiles. Haru wanted to scream in his face that she would be there for him, if only he'd let her.

The only person who she had ever seen him act even the slightest bit warm to was Jae. She understood that they were just friends; however that did nothing to deter the jealousy that built up in her chest whenever she saw them together. It caused her to lash out at him, made her jealous of her best friend.

She was just being petty. Even though she knew Brian had rejected her, it didn't stop her feelings for him or the hope that one day, he would return them.

She sighed, putting away the file in her hand. She thumbed the one underneath it, reading the neat hangul on the top of the file. 

'Yoon Dowoon'.

She couldn't help but feel curious about the silent boy. Many girls in their class screamed and squealed over the idol-looking boy, but he didn't seem to give them any heed, despite his popularity. Many of the other boys in their class didn't speak to him, most of them just jealous of the attention he gained by the girls, despite never speaking at all. And that fact didn't contribute to their want to befriend him either. They only labeled him the 'weird mute kid' and went about their business.

She usually never noticed Dowoon, him being completely silent and usually dozing off in class. Recently, though, she has seen Wonpil and him together a lot. She furrowed her eyebrows, when had they become so close? She had thought that Sungjin was Wonpil's best friend and had been for almost four years.

She sighed again, it was really none of her business. But that didn't stop her from being curious about who Dowoon was. 

She glanced around. No one was currently in the office; Teacher Kim giving her instructions to put away all the files on her desk before leaving through the doors again. 

She hesitated before thumbing open his file.

There was only standard information about his academics and previous high schools. Haru sighed to herself, what was she doing? What had she expected to find in there? She scanned downwards before catching on his family information.

Her eyes widened. He had lost his mother barely a year ago. She felt instant pity for Dowoon, he had no siblings and only his dad left.

Her eyebrows furrowed, however, when she read the scribbled note underneath that line. It looked like Teacher Kim's handwriting.